It’s a shame that you don’t get to see a pitcher complete a great game he was pitching. On May 14, the Pirates’ Joe Musgrove was throwing a shut-out one-hitter against the Arizona Diamondbacks, seven innings, one hit, five strikeouts, two walks and … get this … 75 pitches. Manager Clint Hurdle must have thought, 25 more pitches and he will hit the famed 100-pitch count. Naturally he pulls him out of a possible great complete game — to save some money? — and go to the bullpen, which results in two runs in two innings.
Sure, it was a win, but Hurdle stops a possible complete pitched game shut-out. Maybe we should ask Elroy.
Dennis Coulter
Ligonier Township